Third-rail cover for electric railways.



N0. 856.782. PATENTED JUNE 11; 1907. W. F. KEMPER.

THIRD RAIL COVER FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1907 N N u I ry WVILLIAM F. KEMPER, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THIRD-RAIL COVER FOR ELECTRIC RAlLWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed January 21,1907. Serial No. 363,296.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. KEMPER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Third-Rail Covers forElectric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for protecting the third or conductorrail of electric railways, and has for its object to provide an improvedcover which will normally rest above or over the rail and protect thesame from snow and ice as well as from accidental contact of personspassing over or along the railway. Means are provided to shift the coverto allow the shoe or collector carried by the car to come in contactwith the rail as the car passes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigures 1 and 2 are top plan views, the former showing thecover innormal position and the latter showing the same moved laterally by meansof devices carried by the car. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is across section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the third orconductor rail. Attached to this are brackets 7 consisting of blocks ofwood or the like. These are fastened to the rail by means of clips 8engaging one of the bottom flanges of the rail, and the blocks areshaped to fit snugly against the outer side of the rail.

The head of the rail is protected by cover strips 9 of wood or othernon-conducting material which are located above the rail and are held insuch position by means of bolts 10 which project therefrom and extendthrough the top of the blocks or brackets 7. The strips may each be madeseveral feet long, and will ordinarily be supported by two brackets orbolts. Springs 11, coiled around the bolts, normally project or advancethe cover strips to a position above the head of the rail, butnevertheless allow the strips to be shifted outwardly or laterally touncover the rail when a car passes.

Each strip has on its face or inner edge a metal strip 12 to sustain thewear, and is coated on the top with a strip of rubber 13, which acts asinsulating material to avoid the possibility of a short circuit orcharge. Caps 14, which may be made of metal, are secured to the strips 9and project over the brackets and bolts and serve to prevent clogging ofthe latter by snow or ice.

The ends of the strips 9 are halved and lapped over each other, asindicated at 15, and the halved ends are beveled or inclined asindicated at 16, to allow the devices carried by the car to run from onecover stri to the next. The car has a support 17 which carries a shoe orcollector indicated at 18 which runs on the top of the rail. Said support also has wheels 19 located respectively in front of and behind theshoe, and these wheels turn on vertical pins 20. Springs 21, coiledaround the pins between the wheels and the support, allow a certainamount of vertical movement 01' play, to accommodate the wheels to thestrips. The wheels are toothed, as shown, for the purpose of cutting anddislodging any ice or snow which may accumulate on the cover strip. Atthe top the wheels have an enlarged part or circular flange toothed asat 23. These teeth project beyond the body of the wheels 19 and runalong the top of the inner edge of the cover strips, and serve to assistin holding the wheels in proper position with respect to the edge of thestrips and also to cut and break any formation of sleet or ice on top ofthe strips.

In use, the cover strips are normally advanced by the springs 11 toposition directly above the rail, and in this position act to protectthe same from accumulations of snow, ice or sleet. WVhen a car passes,the wheels 19, carried by the car, press against the inner side edge ofthe strips 9, or rather against the metal facing 12 thereon, and forcesaid strips outwardly or laterally and uncover the rail, allowing theshoe 1S to slide thereover. As soon as the car passes a strip the lattersprings back to its original position over the rail. In consequence ofthe inclined ends of the strip, the wheels 19 will run from one strip tothe next without interruption. The strips are preferably located aboveand out of contact with the head of the rail, so that there is no dangerof the strips becoming charged. In any event, the rubber insulation 13,on top of the strips, acts to protect any person who may step thereon.No special form of rail or other structure is necessary, since theprotective devices may be aplied to existing structures of any ordinaryind.

I claim:

1. The combination with a conductor rail, series of cover strips overthe rail, supporting of brackets secured thereto and supported boltssecured to the strips and extending thereon and projecting beside thesame, a through the brackets and slidable laterally series of coverstrips over the rail, support l therein, and springs coiled around thebolts I5 5 ing'bolts secured to the strips and slidable between thestrips and the brackets.

laterally in the brackets to cover or uncover In testimony whereof IaffiX my signature, the rail, and springs between the strips and inpresence of two witnesses.

brackets. l/VILLIAM F. KEMPER.

2. The combination with a conductor rail, l/Vitnesses: I of bracketssecured thereto and projecting NELLIE FEL'rsKoG,

beside the same on the outer side thereof, a H. G. BATOHELOR.

